Four masked men broke into the world-famous Louvre last week and stole eight imperial jewels worth over $100 million; two suspects arrested in France, one caught while attempting to board a flight to Algeria.
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French authorities have arrested two suspects in connection with last week’s audacious robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris, one of the boldest art heists in recent memory.
According to French media reports on Sunday, one of the suspects was detained Saturday evening at Charles de Gaulle Airport while attempting to board a flight to Algeria. The second suspect was apprehended shortly afterward in the greater Paris area. Both men are in their 30s and are reportedly residents of Parisian suburbs.
The robbery, which local media have dubbed “the heist of the century,” took place last Sunday around 9:30 a.m., just as the museum opened to the public. Surveillance footage shows four masked thieves carrying out the operation, with two of them using a freight elevator to access the museum’s second floor. One wore a yellow safety vest, apparently to pose as a construction worker, while the other was dressed in black and wore a motorcycle helmet.
The group targeted the Apollo Gallery, which houses priceless imperial jewels belonging to Napoleon and Empress Joséphine. The robbers smashed display cases and made off with eight historical items valued at more than $100 million. Their time inside the museum lasted less than four minutes.
Investigators believe the thieves may have already melted down the stolen jewels to sell the metals and gemstones separately. Over 100 personnel are reportedly involved in the investigation.
The theft has sparked widespread embarrassment in France and renewed scrutiny of museum security. In recent months, several cultural institutions across the country—including the National Museum of Natural History—have been hit by thefts, raising concerns over the government’s ability to safeguard national heritage sites.
Compounding the controversy is the fact that Louvre employees went on strike only months ago to protest staffing shortages and inadequate security. Their complaints received little official response at the time.
Louvre director Laurence des Cars admitted last week that a “serious failure” had allowed the robbery to occur. In testimony before the French Senate, she acknowledged significant blind spots in the museum’s security camera network. The balcony and window used by the thieves to break in were not under surveillance. Des Cars has since offered her resignation.
The Louvre, which receives around 9 million visitors each year, is considered the most-visited museum in the world. Some French commentators have described the theft as a cultural disaster comparable to the 2019 fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral.
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